Method and apparatus for shaping crystalline bodies



April 13, 1965 H. R. NORMAN 3,177,626

METHOD ANfi APPARATUS FOR SHAPING 'CRYSTALLINE BODIES Filed May 28, 1962 3 Sheets-She et 1 FIG. l.

s9 57 T" 58 i2 n; 66 oz FIG. 2. 22 a: 24 23 6 6M, a ywww April 13, 1955 R. NORMAN 3,177,626

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR smrme CRYSTALLIYNE BODIES Filed May 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3.

April 3, 1965 H. R. NORMAN 3,177,626

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING CRYSTALLINE BODIES Filed May 28, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "faces.

.extent. .as'the diamonds are reduced in size.

of a size greater than about twenty mesh (Tyler screen United States Patent 3,177,626 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING CRYSTALLINE BODIES Harvey R. Norman, RR. 1, North Bay, Ontario, Canada Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,359 Claims priority, application Canada, July 6, 1961, 827,089

' 14 Claims. (Cl. 51-164) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for shaping crystalline bodies such as diamonds and the like.

Industrial diamonds as mined are irregular in shape and include weak projections. Sometimes the diamonds are partially fractured along certain cleavage planes. In order to make the diamonds suitable for industrial use, it is necessary to break off the weak projections to complete any partial fractures and to smooth off rough sur- The foregoing has been accomplished by a rumbling operation in which the diamonds are placed in a barrel which is rotated about its axis and also moved in i an orbit to provide a tumbling action. Weak projections and partial fractures are broken due to the diamonds being caused to grind each other and there is also a polishing action which is largely due to the minute diamond particles which become separated during the rumbling operation. The rumbling operation is accompanied by a'reduction in the size of the diamonds. The rounding oil of relatively large raw diamonds requires more extended tumbling than is the case with smaller diamonds. Consequently, it is an inevitable result of previously used rumbling operations that the small diamond particles separated from larger diamonds by breaking ofi weak projections and the like are reduced in size to an undesirable The'value of the diamonds per carat decreases Thus diamonds size) can be used for diamond drills and the like and have acertain value. Diamonds in the range twenty mesh to'two hundred mesh can be used for diamond abrasives,

thus be notedthat there is an abrupt drop in value as the size is reduced below about two microns.

The object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for rumbling diamonds and the like in which provision is made for decreasing the reduction in size of small diamond particles.

I A further object of this invention is to achieve the foregoing while utilizing the polishing action in the rumbling operation of very small diamond particles.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

It has been found, in accordance with this invention, that the foregoing can be accomplished by tumbling the diamonds in the presence of a liquid in a grinding zone,

continuously removing diamonds of a predetermined size range from said grinding zone, leaving diamonds of a size greater than said predetermined size range in said grinding zone and utilizing part of the diamonds of a size less than said predetermined size range in said grinding zone in suspension in said liquid.

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments of this invention:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevation view of a rumbling apparatus in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a detailed plan view of the drum forming part of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 to 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to FIGURES l to 3 of the drawings, the apparatus illustrated comprises a container within which there is a rotatable drum 11. Container 10 is mounted on arms 12 and 13. A counter-balance 14 is also mounted on arms 12 and 13. Rotatable drum 11 is mounted on stub shafts 15 and 15a which are journalled near the ends of arms 13 and 12 respectively. Pulley 16 drives stub shaft 15 to cause rotatable drum 11 to rotate and is driven by belt 17 from stationary pulley 18. Arm 13 is mounted on shaft 19 which is journalled in bearing assembly 211 and driven by pulley 21. A rnotor 22, which preferably is a variable speed electric motor, drives pulley 23. Belt 24 causes pulley 23 to drive pulley 21. It will be apparent that motor 22 will cause arms 12 and 13 to rotate with the consequence that container 10, together with drum 11, will move in a circular orbit. At the same time, stationary pulley 18 will cause pulley 16 to rotate so that drum 11 will rotate about its own axis.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that bearing assembly 219 comprises a housing within which are mounted bearings 31 and 32 of shaft 19. Pulley 18 is secured to housing 30 by bolts 33 and 34. Shaft 19 is secured to hub 35which, in turn, is secured to arm 13 by bolts 36 and 37.

Arm 13 has a bearing retainer All mounted on one end. Within bearing retainer 49 is disposed ball bearing 41. Stub shaft 15 is thus rotatably mounted in bearing retainer 40 by ball bearing 41. Pulley 16 has a hub 42 and is secured to stub shaft 15 by bolt 43 which engages an axial threaded hole 44 in stub shaft 15 and bears on disc 45 which in turn bears on pulley 16. Bearing retainer 40 also contains annular ring 46 within which is mounted sealing ring 47. Bearing retainer 40 is secured to container 10.

Arm 12 has, at its end, bearing retainer 50 within which is mounted ball bearing 51 for the rotatable mounting of stub shaft 15a. Bolt 52 threadably engages an axial hole 53 in stub shaft 15a and bears on disc 54. Annular ring 55 is mounted in bearing retainer 51) and supports ring seal 56. Bearing retainer 50 is mounted on plate 57 which forms part of container 10, but which is .secured to the main body of container 10 by bolts 58 and 59. The disengagement of bolts 58 and 59 together with bolt 52 enables arm 12 together with plate 57 to be disengaged from the main body of container 1% for access to drum 11. Drum 11 can be removed from container 10 by also disengaging bolt 43 permitting stub shaft 15 to slide out of disengagement with its bearing, permitting drum 11 to be removed through the port 60 left by the removal of plate 57.

Container 10 also includes a conically shaped outer end wall 61 being truncated at its apex by a transparent sediment box 62. Sediment box 62 is seated in an annular groove 63 at the edge of portion 61 of container 10 and is retained in position by web 64 which is pivotallymounted on pins 65 and 66. Bolt 67 threadably engages web 64 and bears on sediment box 62 to retain it in position. The loosening of bolt 67 permits web 64 to swing to one side to permit the removal of sediment box 62.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings which show drum 11 in detail, drum 11 comprises rings 70 and 71 which are spaced apart and to which end plates 72 and 73 respectively are secured. End plate 72 airmae can be permanentlysecured to ring 70 end plate 73 is removably secured to ring 71 by bolts 74 to provide 3 access to the interior of drum 11. Slats 74a are mounted on rings 70 and 71 soas to extend'between the rings and around their entire periphery. Slate 7411 are spaced from.

each other to define spaces 75. Stub, shafts 15 and 15a are secured to plates 72 and 73 respectively. Bafiies 76 and 77 are secured to rings 70 and;71f and extend parallel to .the' axis of rotation todrum 11 so that as drum 11 rotates, diamonds within drum ll' will be given:

a tumbling action;

Any desired spacing 75 can be used forslats 74a in order to permit diamonds which aresmaller than a pre-- determined size to pass from the interior of drum 11 into container 10. By way of example, the slats'can-be threeeighths of an inch in'wid th and spaced twohundredths of i L in drum 11, due to the rotation about its'axis'of 'drurn 11,

is greater: than the centrifugal force due :to the 'main' the desired tumbling action will be achieved.

In operation the raw diamonds are-loaded into drum 7 11 and drum 11 placed in position -within;fcontainer 10. 'Water or other suitable liquid is added to the inan inch. The dimensions of the structure should be "chosen so that the centrifugal force on the diamonds witha size less "than said predetermined sizerange are maintained in said grinding zone in suspension in said liquid.

3. A method of shaping crystalline bodies which comprises tumbling, crystalline bodies in the presence of a liquid in a grinding zone. and continuously removing, crystalline bodies capable of passing through an elongated open ing fro'rn'said grinding zone leaving crystalline bodies of a size greater than that which will'pas's through such elongated opehingin said grinding zone and in which minute crystalline. body particles are maintained suspension in 7 said liquid to provide ,a polishing action 'for' crystalline bodiesin said grindingfzone. 7 r a 45A method as in claim '1 in whichjth'e crystalline bodies are diamonds. I a

. 5. A method as in claim 1 in which the crystalline bodies are'diamonds and in which; the diamondsretained in said grinding zone areof asize which will not pass through an elongated opening of about two hundredths terior of container 10 'to'provide the liquid level indicated Y at'St) during operation. Container 10 is closed and the 'rumblingoperation is commenced. Small diamond par:

ticles of a size which will pass through the spacing 75 between the slats, pass from the interior of drum 1l into container 10 due, tothe'centrifug'al action of the, 1

rotation of. drum 11, andibecause'of the centrifugal} action due to theorbital movement or" container lO. The

bling actiolill small particles of diamonds thus removed are collected in sediment box: 62' which preferably .is graduated." "As. 'a consequence these. small diamond particles arepreserved from further abrasionand reduction in 'sizeand, in additiomas sediment box, 62. is transparent, the

progress of the rumbling operation can'be' accurately controlled .by' observation of the amount of material:

which has collectedin sediment box 62. Diamond par- ,ticles of a size smaller than 'ab'outtwo microns, how ever, remain in suspension in the liquid rather than being, 7

,;of fan'inch; orbit of drum. 11 about the axis of shaft 19 so that 6. An apparatus for shaping -cryst'alline bodies cornprisin'g an enclosed container, .a drum rotatably mounted in said containensaid drum-having aplurality'of openings of predetermined size inf its periphery, nieans for moving saidcontainer in an orbital .path, and means for rotating said drum withinsaid container tocausecrys talline bodies within said drum to be subjected'to a turn "I7Q'An apparatus: as in claim oinwhichsaid openings are" elongated. 3O

8. An apparatus as in claim 7' inwhicli the narrow dimension 'of said elongated openings .isl'about two hun dredths-of an inch.

' An apparatus as nclai'm 6, in which said container 'c'omprisesa transparent sediment box for collecting and 'visually observing crystalline particles which'h'ave passed through said openings. 7

#10. An apparatusas in claim 6] in which said drum comprises a pair of circular end plates and a plurality of collected in sediment box 62 and exert a polishing" action on the diamondsremaining'in drum 11., The speed of rotation. of drum 11 and the orbital movements can be varied accordingto the dimensions of the apparatus.

However, typicalspeeds are 300 rpm. for the orbital movement and 1,500 r.p.'m. for-the rotationofdrum 11- about its axis. The time of treatment will vary according to the charge and the desired degree of rounding of the diamonds .but typicallymay be half an hour-Q p 7 It is preferred that spaced slats be used, as theseprovideelongated holes. The elongated holesfpresent a particular advantage where diamonds suitable for drilling Tare being prepared in that they allow flat particles to be extracted. Such particles would be unsuitable for use in drilling. However, the use of other shapes of apertures I is; contemplated as being within thescope of this invention in its broadest aspect. t m

I claim: a

bearings for said drum comprising a, bearing. mounted {on and removable-with said ,side'fpl'atejand a bearing mounted on said. container, said drum being removable thr0ughthe openinglin said container upon the detach- 6O 1. A methodof shaping crystalline bodies-which comprises tumbling, crystalline bodies in' the presenceof a liquid in. a grinding.zoneand.continuouslyremoving,

crystalline .bodies of a predetermined .size range 'from' said grinding zone leaving crystalline bodies of a size ing zoneandin which part of. the crystalline bodies of spacedslats extending between -;said end plates adjacent to their peripheries.

' 11. An apparatus as in claim o in v'vhic h said drum comprises a pair of spaced rings, end plates secured :to

each of said rings, and'a pluralityof spaced slats. mounted on said rings, and extendingjaround I their peripheries.

. "12'. An" apparatus a'sin claim fiin which. said drum comprises a pairof circular end plates and "a plurality of spaced slats extending between said endjplates adjacent 7 their peripheries, and-peripheral longitudinally extending baffle means; withinsaid drum tojfacilitate the tumbling action of crystallinebodies. within said drum.

An apparatus forshapingcrystalline bodies comjprismg a container'having an opening at. one. side and a side plate detachably secured to enclose said container,

a drum rotatably mounted in said container, said drum having openings of predetermined size in its" periphery,

ment of said" side plate, supportingarmsconnected to said bearings and acting to. guide the container in an orbital path,lmeans. to move saidfcontainer in said orbital path and drive means'connected to, rotate said drum upon movement'of the container in said orbital path; 65'

lfl. An apparatus for shaping crystalline bodies comprislng'an enclosed containena cylindrical drum rotatably mounted insaid container for movement about the 'longitudinal axis of said drumosaid drum having a pluralityof' open ngs of predetermined size in its periphery, means for'rnovlng' said container in an orbital path-ina substantially vertical circle a nd means for rotating .said

drum ,within said containerto cause crystalline bodies within said drum to be subjected to'a tumblingiaction;

V fa bl l l wi P 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner 3,013,365 12/61 Harper 51--164 3 013 776 12/61 Patterson 51164 X T J J UNITED STAAES PATENTS 3,030,746 4/62 Firestine et a1. 51-284 12/35 Sundback 51--316 g; g l 5 5 LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner.

etso et a 7/51 Stanley 51 164 JOHN C. CHRISTIE, I. SPENCER OVERJIE-EIOLSER, 2/56 Cook 125-30 

6. AN APPARATUS FOR SHAPING CRYSTALLINE BODIES COM PRISING AN ENCLOSED CONTAINER, A DRUM ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CONTAINER, SAID DRUM HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS OF PREDETERMINED SIZE IN ITS PERIPHERY, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONTAINER IN AN ORBITAL PATH, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUM WITHIN SAID CONTAINER TO CAUSE CRYSTALLINE BODIES WITHIN SAID DRUM TO BE SUBJECTED TO A TUMBLING ACTION. 